It all started one morning in Maine, with a tattered copy of A Unit of Water, A Unit of Time, an account of the W-76 racing yacht that legendary wooden boat craftsman Joel White built after being diagnosed with cancer in 1996. The final page of that book was just the beginning of a year-long quest to read as many books as possible by and about the sea.

This is the online home of Peter Van Allen. I have spent the past 25 years writing for daily newspapers and magazines. And I have spent all of my life on the water – on a surfboard, a kayak, a rowing shell, a sailboat or a stand-up paddleboard. I am married to Jen Van Allen, an author, coach, and writer for Runner’s World. Above all, I am a very proud dad to three amazing kids.